Communication systems are well known that support communications among participants at remote locations using audio, video and/or electronic media. For example, audio conference bridges are known to support voice communication (“conference calls”) with participants dispersed at various locations. Similarly, video conference facilities are known to support video (and voice) communications between parties at remote locations. Still further, software products such as Windows® NetMeeting® are known to support communications between computers at remote locations. Whatever type of communication network infrastructure is employed, remote communication meetings (“conferences”) are generally considered more efficient and cost-effective than face-to-face meetings (i.e., among participants at a common location) because they reduce or eliminate the need for travel among the participants. However, some limitations with existing remote conference services is that group dynamics can be impaired; geographic separation is apparent to all participants, creating a lack of interactive quality and natural flow. Even in the case of video conferences (because video conference facilities rely on a camera whose field-of-view only focuses on the speaker), participants generally can not see all other participants of the meeting and hence can not observe expressions, reactions, body language of all other participants. Moreover, participants do not visually see common meeting room facilities, presentation media and the like. Further, depending on limitations of technology, impairments can occur in voice and/or video transmission causing delays, interruptions, frozen images and the like.
Because remote conference services offer advantages in cost and efficiency relative to face-to-face meetings, there is a continuing need for communication systems and methods supporting and/or enhancing communications among participants at remote locations. On the other hand, because certain characteristics of face-to-face meetings offer advantages in group dynamics and interaction among participants, there is a need for remote conference services that resemble or at least more closely approximate face-to-face meetings, thereby overcoming or minimizing deficiencies of the prior art. The present invention is directed to addressing these needs.